Originally it was planned that BusinessCode CEO Martin Schulze would give a lecture on “Data Analytics” as part of a digitization event at the IHK Bonn/Rhein-Sieg. Due to the current situation, this was quickly turned into an online seminar. A review about this alternative way of giving lectures.
On May 7th, 2020 the online seminar “Data Analytics – Potentials and Success Factors in the Company” was hosted by Heiko Oberlies, IHK Bonn/Rhein-Sieg. All discussants/presenters were in the meeting room with video. Some with headset, others with microphone and they started. So instead of cancelling the event, the 35 registered participants met virtually. A good decision in the current situation!
An online seminar was nothing unusual even before Corona
Even before Corona, online seminars were nothing unusual and currently they are the only alternative to cancellation in order to maintain offers and create a bit of normality.
But what did this mean in concrete terms for Martin Schulze as a lecturer? Basically nothing changes in the course of the event. The length of the lectures remained the same and also the possibility for the participants to ask questions. The speaker managed his presentation and gave a lecture in front of a running webcam. All participants could see and hear him, but he couldn’t, because the participants’ microphones were muted, and the transmission of the pictures was turned off.
Will online seminars remain the alternative to personal meetings?
This is a little unusual. You don’t see or hear your audience and you can’t estimate whether you yourself are understood or whether technical problems occur with the participants. Also you don’t get direct feedback from the participants. The possibility of interaction during the presentation via a chat is still new and needs getting used to, even for the listeners. The same applies to the option to ask questions afterwards. Presenter Heiko Oberlies could be seen and heard in between and navigated through the event with his usual sovereignty. So much for the procedure, which is basically the same for all online seminars.
For all of us, the question arises as to whether online seminars will actually remain an alternative and replace personal meetings in the future when people are allowed to meet in larger groups.
Online seminars as an interesting and important addition
We would like to answer this in a differentiated way from BusinessCode. Online seminars do not replace network meetings, or evenings where people meet in person to discuss various topics. They remain an interesting and important addition to exchange information, to discuss topics. They help to save time and protect the environment. However, personal contact is lacking, and interaction between participants is still rare.
But maybe that will come. We all learn more every day.